History of Florence and of the Affairs of Italy eBook

On the other side, Jacopo Guicciardini, commissary
to the army, by the advice of Roberto da Rimino, who,
after the death of Count Carlo, was the principal
commander, knowing the ground of their sanguine expectations,
determined to meet them, and coming to an engagement
near the lake, upon the site of the memorable rout
of the Romans, by Hannibal, the Carthaginian general,
the papal forces were vanquished. The news of
the victory, which did great honor to the commanders,
diffused universal joy at Florence, and would have
ensured a favorable termination of the campaign, had
not the disorders which arose in the army at Poggibonzi
thrown all into confusion; for the advantage obtained
by the valor of the one, was more than counterbalanced
by the disgraceful proceedings of the other.
Having made considerable booty in the Siennese territory,
quarrels arose about the division of it between the
marquis of Mantua and the marquis of Ferrara, who,
coming to arms, assailed each other with the utmost
fury; and the Florentines seeing they could no longer
avail themselves of the services of both, allowed the
marquis of Ferrara and his men to return home.

CHAPTER IV

The duke of Calabria routs the Florentine army at
Poggibonzi—­Dismay in Florence on account
of the defeat—­Progress of the duke of Calabria—­The
Florentines wish for peace—­Lorenzo de’
Medici determines to go to Naples to treat with the
king—­Lodovico Sforza, surnamed the Moor,
and his brothers, recalled to Milan—­Changes
in the government of that city in consequence—­The
Genoese take Serezana—­Lorenzo de’
Medici arrives at Naples—­Peace concluded
with the king—­The pope and the Venetians
consent to the peace—­The Florentines in
fear of the duke of Calabria—­Enterprises
of the Turks—­They take Otranto—­The
Florentines reconciled with the pope—­Their
ambassadors at the papal court—­The pope’s
reply to the ambassadors—­The king of Naples
restores to the Florentines all the fortresses he
had taken.

The army being thus reduced, without a leader, and
disorder prevailing in every department, the duke
of Calabria, who was with his forces near Sienna,
resolved to attack them immediately. The Florentines,
finding the enemy at hand, were seized with a sudden
panic; neither their arms, nor their numbers, in which
they were superior to their adversaries, nor their
position, which was one of great strength, could give
them confidence; but observing the dust occasioned
by the enemy’s approach, without waiting for
a sight of them, they fled in all directions, leaving
their ammunition, carriages, and artillery to be taken
by the foe. Such cowardice and disorder prevailed
in the armies of those times, that the turning of
a horse’s head or tail was sufficient to decide
the fate of an expedition. This defeat loaded
the king’s troops with booty, and filled the
Florentines with dismay; for the city, besides the
war, was afflicted with pestilence, which prevailed